Diversionary Tactics
by Jessica237
Summary: EC. He was her diversion, but at the same time, he was also her reality. And that just made it even better.


**Title: **Diversionary Tactics**  
By: **Jessica**  
Pairing: **Eric/Calleigh**  
Rating: **M**  
Timeline:** Circa 7x22. Based on a conversation from 7x22, but doesn't hold strictly to canon with regard to what was actually said. If that makes sense at all.  
**Summary: **He was her diversion, but at the same time, he was also her reality. And that just made it even better.

**A/N:** It's finals week. Do you think I've been studying? Clearly not. Also, I swore the shower fic would be the last one of these I'd ever write. But apparently Calleigh and I have similar diversions, lol. Apologies for the length and the super sappy ending, heh.

* * *

"This is the worst show ever – you _do_ realize that, right?"

With an exasperated sigh, Calleigh rolled her eyes, though she couldn't keep a tiny grin from her lips. "Could you stop with the commentary, please?" she asked, her voice extra sweet. "It's getting kind of annoying…"

"Not nearly as annoying as that brainless brunette - I would've voted her out weeks ago," Eric retorted, lifting a hand to gesture quickly at the screen before them before it returned to its original place, draped over Calleigh's abdomen. He was so happy that she'd procured a much more comfortable couch than she'd had the last time he'd slept here, because it seemed they'd found themselves spending a lot of time together on it. But then again, Eric had half a mind to believe that even her old couch would've been comfortable if he'd been holding Calleigh like this last time.

She was currently reclined back against his chest, her head resting lightly upon his shoulder. Her tiny body was snugly enclosed between his legs, and Eric's arms around her middle completed the intimate embrace. On the screen before them played one of television's ubiquitous reality shows, this one very much utilizing the same formula as many of the others – several women, one apparent Prince Charming. One goodbye each week; each week's tasks more brutal and catty than the last. It was ridiculous…but for some reason, Calleigh seemed to have a certain fixation with the genre.

And it annoyed Eric to no end. "I still can't believe you watch this stuff. I _know_ there's got to be something better on," he huffed, reaching quickly for the remote. But Calleigh was quicker; she held it outside his reach, leaving Eric grasping only at air.

"Oh please," she chuckled, wrapping both hands protectively around the remote as she brought it back to her lap. "Like it's any different than you and your SportsCenter."

Eric snorted. "At least SportsCenter has _substance_," he retorted, covering her hands with his own, playfully trying to tease her fingers free of the remote.

"Yeah, because _substance_ is watching grown men yap on and on about sports scores for an entire hour straight," Calleigh shot back, playfully rolling her eyes again.

"It's not _yapping_ – it's _discussion_. And as far as I'm concerned, discussion about the NBA playoffs or the Super Bowl or even the Stanley Cup is far more substantial than watching some delusional girl pretend to fall in love on national television, only to file for divorce a year later…you know, given they actually _make_ it to a wedding, because none of them ever stay together."

"Ryan and Trista are still together," Calleigh replied, her voice infused with a playful lilt.

_"Who?"_

Calleigh laughed. "See? This is why you should watch this with me," she explained smugly, settling her body more deeply into his embrace as though making herself comfortable for another couple hours of this. "You never know when you might need a broader knowledge of today's pop culture, after all," she reasoned, eliciting a snort from Eric.

His voice was dripping with sarcasm as he replied, though even through that his smile remained audible. "Yeah. Because knowing who doesn't get a flower is _absolutely _going to help me lift fingerprints from a murder weapon."

Calleigh tilted her head thoughtfully. "You never know – it may end up being motive," she persisted sweetly, tracing the fingers of one hand softly against his knuckles.

"Motive for who?" Eric smirked, turning his hand to lace their fingers together. "The people on the show, or the poor people forced to watch it?"

Calleigh gave a soft laugh, rolling her eyes. "I'm not _forcing_ you to watch with me," she pointed out. But as far as Eric was concerned, she may as well have been. He sure wasn't willing to go anywhere else right now – he wanted to be with her. Unfortunately, during the current hour of primetime, that seemed to involve a certain reality show.

Ah well. It was a small sacrifice to make, considering he knew he'd do anything for this woman.

"Think about it this way," Calleigh said suddenly, catching his attention once more. "One day we may just run out of other things to talk about," she posited with a smirk. "And it does me no good to talk to you about what happened in the last episode if you have no idea what I'm talking about."

Eric gave a devilish grin, his mind immediately conjuring up the solution to that. "I imagine that's true," he replied, shifting slightly behind her. To Calleigh's delight, his arms tightened around her body, pulling her closer to him. When he spoke again, his voice was closer to her ear than she'd expected, and Calleigh startled slightly as the low rumble sent a chill down her spine. "But in that case, I know something we could do to pass the time instead…"

The first kiss to her temple was chaste, almost innocent, but still Calleigh shivered, intuiting the desire that lay beneath the surface. "But you know what they say, Eric," she continued, her accent wrapping around the syllables of his name in that way that never failed to drive him out of his mind. "It's hard to keep a relationship strong without conversation."

"And why can't we talk about SportsCenter?" he teased, nuzzling softly at her hair.

"Because that would be _boring_," Calleigh drawled, as though the answer were utterly obvious. "I already know all I need to know about sports. You don't know anything about any of this," she explained, gesturing toward the screen. "Therefore, my point stands."

"Your point makes _absolutely_ no sense," Eric pointed out.

"You're just too stubborn to see my point," Calleigh smirked.

"You know what? Fine." Eric grinned, giving up his battle for the remote and instead diverting his hands to her hips. "Since you know _so_ much more about sports than I know about this so-called _reality_ stuff, then tell me something. Stanley Cup – who wins it this year?"

"Oh come on, Eric," Calleigh protested, squirming slightly. The motion of his hands to her hips had not gone missed by her, and neither had the gentle circles his thumbs had begun tracing there. Even through the fabric of her nightgown, skimpy though it was, it awakened a burning somewhere deep inside of her – and suddenly, Calleigh knew _exactly _what he was hoping to accomplish. "_You_ don't even watch hockey."

"But I watch SportsCenter, so it doesn't matter whether I actively watch the sport or not," he teased, his hands moving lower with each word. "And besides, you're the one who thinks she knows everything already. So let's have it," he persisted, knowing he'd caught her in a corner she couldn't get out of. "Stanley Cup champs."

Calleigh huffed, though it was difficult to be annoyed when his fingers had finally skirted past the lower hem of her nightgown. His fingertips brushed against her bare thighs, just lightly enough to quicken her pulse. "I don't know, Eric," she relented, shaking her head slightly. "The Panthers, maybe."

His touch had such a deep effect on her that Calleigh couldn't even force herself to feel annoyed at the sound of his amused chuckle. "The Panthers," he repeated, his fingers drifting farther and farther inward with every tiny circle he drew upon her thighs.

"Why is that funny?" Calleigh demanded, her voice more distracted than the defensive reply she'd intended. "Maybe I like the Panthers."

"Nope," Eric chuckled again, pressing a slow kiss to her temple. "You don't like the Panthers at all; you're just saying that because it's the only team you know," he teased with a smirk. "And they didn't make the playoffs anyway, so you're wrong. I win, and _my_ point stands."

Though she opened her mouth to retort, Calleigh found herself fighting for any words at all to come to her tongue – it was much too difficult to articulate with Eric's lips slowly dancing over the patch of skin behind her ear. He was turning her to jelly right in his arms, and there was very little she could do about it; very little she _could_ do, and _nothing_ she wanted to do about it. "What can I say?" she breathed, her eyes fluttering closed. "I've always been more of a football fan, to be honest…"

"Mm, football?" His breath was so warm against her skin, a prelude to the feel of his lips latching softly to her jaw, sucking softly at the sensitive place just beneath her ear. "You don't know the picture you just gave me…"

The desire in his voice left her all but melting, unable to keep her eyelids from fluttering as she acknowledged his unfinished thought. "What- what's that?"

He gave a low hum of approval at the picture that had formulated in his head. "You, in nothing but a Dolphins jersey…now _that_ would be quite the diversion," he murmured low, and to Calleigh's brief dismay, his hands left her thighs, rather abruptly. But before she could protest, his fingertips were skimming along her sides, brushing ever lightly along the swell of a breast, and Calleigh immediately shivered at the touch.

"You mean a Saints jersey," Calleigh murmured, a grin tugging at her lips.

Eric frowned playfully. "Wow. You just ruined it," he teased, though the motion of his hands continued to say otherwise.

"Oh, come on, Eric," Calleigh sassed. "You know I'm a Louisiana girl – I _have_ to go with the Saints," she added, gasping softly as Eric's touch skimmed over a nipple. And even through the fabric of her nightgown, his touch was fire-hot. "Besides, at least – at least they're not the Lions…"

Eric smirked. "What, you don't think an 0-16 record is pretty damn impressive? I mean, that takes skill, baby," he murmured, utilizing the endearment he tended to save for moments such as this – moments where he had her squirming in his arms as he teased her slowly.

Speaking of skills, Eric possessed plenty of them himself, and it seemed he'd called upon every one of them, as well as his knowledge of all the little spots on her body where just a light touch would leave her trembling in his arms. Calleigh shook her head, deeming an end to the conversation at hand. "I know what you're trying to do," she murmured accusingly, though she was a little late to save her interest in the remaining fifteen minutes of her show – at this point, she found she almost didn't care. "You – you're trying to distract me…"

"Not distract. Seduce…" he whispered with a nibble at the shell of her ear. With a devilish grin, Eric toyed with the straps of her nightgown, pushing one lacy string off of her shoulder. "But you can go back to your silly reality show, if you like…it's almost time for the guy to get rid of one of the girls, isn't it?" he teased, slowly and softly kneading at her breasts. Much to his delight, Calleigh arched slightly into his touch, sighing in pleasure. "After all, if you want to watch it _that_ badly, I can stop _distracting_ you…"

Calleigh quickly shook her head as she wrapped trembling fingers around the remote, somehow in her dazed state managing to lift it enough to direct it at the TV. Within a second, the screen flickered to black, and the remote fell from Calleigh's fingers once more, falling with a dull thud upon the floor below. "Don't stop…"

His thumbs were teasing slow circles around the peaks of her nipples, feeling them harden beneath his touch. "You sure?" he breathed, his lips brushing against her skin. "You might miss the 'biggest twist of the season…'"

"I'll just…read about it online tomorrow, I guess…" Calleigh murmured distractedly.

To her annoyance, Eric wasn't ready to stop teasing yet. "You sure that's what you want?" With that, he snaked a hand downward and underneath the fabric of her nightgown, slowly brushing it upward along her stomach and back to where it had been just moments before – except now without the barrier, flimsy though it was, of her nightgown between his fingers and her breast.

"God, Eric," she moaned, half in pleasure from his touch, half in frustration from his playfulness. She squirmed against him, her breath already labored with arousal.

And it was getting to Eric, too. He couldn't help but let out a low growl of approval as her body moved against his. He licked his lips, feeling his blood rushing southward with every beat of his heart. But still, he refused to give in. "Tell me what you want," he requested low, dropping a kiss to her shoulder.

There was only a moment's hesitation on Calleigh's part. She swallowed hard, attempting to steady her voice, but still what came out was merely a shaky whimper. "I want _you…"_

For a moment, Eric stilled, simply taking in her words. It felt so _good_ to hear those words from her, after having wanted her for what felt like forever. "I love hearing that," he breathed, suckling at her pulse point.

Calleigh gasped softly, already struggling to catch her breath. "Eric…maybe – maybe we should move somewhere else," she mumbled, still managing to think practically despite his sensual assault on her senses.

Eric merely chuckled, tightening his arms around her as she began to move. "Or we could stay right here," he murmured seductively, his lips brushing her neck with every word. "I don't think we've christened your couch yet, after all…"

Calleigh's eyes popped open, blinking in confusion as his kisses continued. "What?"

Eric gave a low hum, the vibration emanating against Calleigh's skin. "You heard me," he murmured, slowly rolling her nipple between his fingers, eliciting a drawn-out sigh of pleasure from her.

"I – I heard you, but…" she trailed off in a moan, her body squirming against him. His touch already had her covered in goosebumps, and she swallowed hard, feeling all trace of her sanity beginning to leave her.

But then his hands were moving again, to her slight dismay. One beneath her silky nightgown, one on top, both slowly tracing to the outside of her ribcage before slowly skimming their way down her soft curves. "But what?" he whispered.

She shivered as his touch reached her hips, his fingers toying briefly with the lacy hem of her panties. Calleigh bit her lip, clenching her thighs against the rush of heat to her core as she struggled to find the words to answer him. If there was one thing she hated about him – yet simultaneously _loved_, if that were possible and to her utterly aroused mind it absolutely was – it was the fact that he could all but melt her while he remained intact. Here she was struggling to articulate, and yet, his voice remained smooth and silky against her ear; smooth, silky, and a bit smug because he knew _exactly _what he was doing to her.

But as her words echoed in his ears, Eric couldn't help but find his own heart fluttering in his chest. "We've – we've made love out here before," she breathed, leaving Eric no choice but to groan appreciatively at her choice of words. His fingers kneaded softly at her hips as he buried his face against her hair, lightly nuzzling.

There was just something about the fact that Calleigh considered them to be making love that left Eric floating somewhere in the clouds. To him, that was exactly what it was, every single time since the very first. He'd never had _just sex_ with her – as far as Eric was concerned, they were making love every time. Before Calleigh, he'd doubted such a boundary even existed between the two, but not anymore. They weren't just two synonyms for the same activity – though he'd had his fair share of sexual encounters, many of which he wasn't proud of, he had only ever made love to Calleigh.

Exhaling deeply, Eric lifted his hands to her golden locks, gently gathering the silky strands between his fingers. "I don't think so," he persisted, gently placing her hair over one shoulder, revealing the creamy skin of her neck to him. Without hesitation, he lowered his head, dropping a slow kiss to her pulse point. "I think I would remember…"

The comment itself, combined with the slow caress of his lips along her throat drew a quiet, breathy laugh from Calleigh. "Mm, you can't remember _every_ time…" she murmured, letting her eyes fall closed as his hands crept back to her hips. "Every place…"

"My memory is _pristine,"_ he breathed, lips and tongue teasing their way along her jawline, back toward her ear. Calleigh gave a soft sigh, her body tensing against him as he nipped at the spot beneath her ear. "And I can assure you if we had, there's no way I would've forgotten…"

Calleigh licked at her lips, feeling her entire body tremble at the warmth of his breath along her skin. "Oh yeah?" she breathed, shivering as the vibration from Eric's low hum resonated throughout her body. She knew what she was getting into, but there was little more arousing than the low rumble of his voice at her ear. "I'm not so sure…"

His answering chuckle set her entire body aflame. "You don't think I'd remember it as…_vividly_ as every other time?" He paused, swirling his tongue slowly around her earlobe. "Just like every time I left you seeing stars in your bed?" he teased breathily, and if Calleigh could've protested his smugness, she would've, but every fiber of her being was consumed by such an all-encompassing shudder…and it wasn't as if his words weren't true anyway. "What about…that night on the kitchen counter?" he continued, giving a low hum of approval that sent a rush of moisture straight to Calleigh's core. "You think I could _ever_ forget the strawberries and ice cream and _you_ at one in the morning? God, that was so…" He trailed off into a low moan, unable to find just the right word to describe it.

Completely lost in his voice, Calleigh moaned softly, squirming slightly in his arms. His thumbs were tracing slowly along her thighs, teasing lightly at the silky fabric of her nightgown, sliding it upward bit by agonizing bit. His touch was like fire; burning, addictive, arousing fire. "Eric…"

He grinned, noticing immediately the quickening of her breath. "And that one time…against the front door…you in that _sexy_ little black dress that drove me _insane_ the entire night…" Capturing Calleigh's earlobe between his teeth, he tugged gently, just enough to pull a quiet moan from her lips. With just the tips of his fingers, Eric slowly traced a path down to her knee before moving upward again, repeating the action and moving just a little higher each time. It was hypnotizing, the motion of his hands on her skin, and Calleigh couldn't help but feel her heartbeat accelerate to the point where she heard it in her ears.

She swallowed hard, already unable to catch her breath. Nobody had ever been able to thoroughly seduce her like Eric could, especially with only his fingertips and his lips. "You're driving _me_ insane," she all but whimpered, nibbling at her lip in an attempt to keep hold of _some_ control.

Eric smirked, his lips continuing their slow voyage downward. "Oh, am I?" he murmured, suckling lightly at the creamy skin of her neck. Calleigh moaned, tilting her head to grant him better access. "Good," he continued, flicking his tongue over the erratic beat of her pulse. "Now you know how _I_ feel…" Fleetingly, his fingers slipped between her thighs, just enough to brush over her covered center, and that was enough for Calleigh.

Her control snapped to pieces, she shifted against him, shoving his hands away from her momentarily as she turned in his lap. Hands on his shoulders for support, she settled her knees on either side of his thighs, straddling him fully. Watching as Eric's eyes hungrily raked over her body, she bit at her lip, trailing her hands down to his chest.

"God, you're beautiful," he murmured appreciatively, and that was all Calleigh could take. Leaning in, she captured his mouth in a slow kiss, lips mingling, tongues teasing and tasting. His hands once more grasped at her hips, kneading and stroking through the silky material as he allowed her to set the pace of the kiss.

The feel of his hands on her left her moaning against his mouth, her tongue playfully battling his for control. Her own hands flitted restlessly over his chest and along his shoulders and upper arms, wanting more of him than she could realistically touch at once. It wasn't long until she felt the fire rise up within her, the sheer need for him that simply overcame every part of her. His hands skated up her sides and into her hair, his fingers tangling with the strands as he drew her closer, deepening the kiss even more. Ignoring the necessity of air, he kissed her hungrily, desperately, groaning slightly at the subtle motion of her hips against his.

Drawing her hands downward, Calleigh clutched at the fabric of his t-shirt, balling it within her fists. And only when she'd tugged it upward as far as she could without his help did she finally break the kiss. Tiny spots of black danced within her vision as she gasped for breath, waiting for Eric to lift his arms and allow her to finally pull the offending material from his body.

Cheeks flushed, lips freshly kissed, hair tousled…there was little more arousing than the sight of Calleigh straddling him at that moment. Suddenly he found himself relieved that their lazy, late evening state of relaxation found him only in a pair of boxers, because even they were rather confining at the moment. There was a fire in Calleigh's emerald eyes that only added to his arousal, and Eric found his eyes drawn to the rise and fall of her breast as she breathed heavily.

"I love when you take control like that," he smirked, drawing a fingertip along the swell of a covered breast.

Calleigh's cheeks flushed pink. "You wouldn't stop teasing me," she breathed, absently tracing shapes over the muscled planes of his bare chest.

Eric chuckled, reaching out to gently coax a lacy strap from her shoulder, leaving it hanging limply along her upper arm. Leaning forward, he brought his lips to her shoulder, leaving a trail of hot kisses all along her collarbone. "You think I'm done yet?" he murmured, dipping his tongue in the hollow of her throat. Calleigh gave a soft gasp, squirming against him as Eric's hands slipped beneath the lower hem of her nightgown, kneading at the back of her thighs. "I wanna tease you all night," he continued, his silky voice turning Calleigh completely to jelly in his arms. "_All_ night…"

Summoning all the willpower she had remaining, Calleigh shoved playfully at his chest, pushing him back against the couch. Ignoring his protest, she took his hands, lifting them to either side of his head as she laced their fingers together. A knowing grin crept slowly to Eric's lips, matching perfectly the devilish sparkle in his desire-filled eyes. Calleigh flicked her tongue over her lips before ducking in to nibble at Eric's lower lip.

To his brief dismay, she was gone again before he could deepen the kiss, but any dismay quickly morphed into full-fledged arousal as Calleigh dropped his hands. He swallowed hard, watching her fingers travel feather-light down his chest. His muscles fluttered beneath her touch; the farther south she moved, the quicker his heart pounded in his chest. "Cal…"

His breath caught as her touch skimmed the front of his boxers, but instead of going farther, Calleigh smirked, reaching for the hem of her own attire instead. "Maybe I wanna tease you…" she murmured seductively, her cheeks flushing slightly. With Eric's eyes hungrily watching her every move, she wrapped her fingers around the silky material, _slowly_ lifting it up and over her head. Shaking her hair back, she lazily dropped the lacy fabric to the ground below, leaving her straddling Eric in nothing more than a sexy pair of black panties.

And if ever there was a sight to take Eric's breath away, it was that. Eric cursed quietly under his breath, eliciting a slightly embarrassed chuckle from Calleigh. She bit at her lip, lifting a hand to tuck a strand a blonde behind her ear. "Do you have _any_ idea how gorgeous you are?" he murmured, skimming his fingers gently over the seductive curve of her hips, the taut, creamy skin of her abdomen, upward to the uncovered swell of her breasts. He was mesmerized by her beauty, hypnotized by the effect she had on him every single time.

Still tracing reverent patterns over her skin, Eric pulled her close and pressed a light kiss to the valley between her breasts. One kiss became two as her sweet scent and the softness of her skin overwhelmed him, and two quickly became an unstoppable cascade of kisses. Kisses, soft declarations of her beauty, of how lucky he was, of how badly he wanted her, and soon it was enough to have Calleigh squirming on his lap, her hips rocking slowly against his, and even through two layers of fabric he could feel her damp heat against him.

Gripping hard at his shoulders, Calleigh let out a soft cry as his mouth traced a predictable path along her skin, dotting kisses over one breast, then ravishing the other with light nips and soothing swipes of his tongue. She whimpered his name as he caught a nipple gently between his teeth and rolled his tongue against it, alternating teasingly lazy nips with agonizingly slow sucks. Her eyes fluttered closed and her breath grew labored, her nails digging into his skin. But even through the attention he lavished upon one breast, Eric made sure the other didn't go ignored. One palm at the curve of her hips, he brought the other to the opposite breast, and Calleigh couldn't help but arch toward him, crying out again as his fingers slowly circled around her nipple.

It felt so good, almost _too_ good, and Calleigh couldn't hold back the whimpers and sighs of delight that fell from her lips. "God, Eric…" The soft moan he gave against her skin left Calleigh's knees trembling, her nails scratching at the back of his neck. Her body jerked as he bit her softly, quickly soothing with a swipe of his tongue. Her hips rocked against him, but it wasn't enough – she wanted more. Bringing her hands to his cheeks, Calleigh drew his face upward, immediately claiming his mouth with her own. It was needy and desperate and Calleigh knew Eric could tell, but at the moment, she didn't care. He had her on edge, past the point where any rational thought remained in her brain.

As their tongues dueled, Eric's hands were on the move again, this time allowing no detours until he reached the soft skin of her inner thighs. Calleigh moaned against him as a shudder consumed her body. Her core tingled with heat, feeling him so close, yet so far away from her. But just as the frustration threatened to overtake her, he slowly brought his fingers to her, rubbing lightly through the lacy material that covered her. It was such a jolt of sensation that Calleigh had no choice but to break from his mouth, moaning as her entire body stiffened.

Eric chuckled, ducking his head to press a kiss just beneath her chin. "Feel good?" he breathed cockily, a devious grin tugging at his lips.

Calleigh refused to give him the satisfaction of a verbal answer. Not that she had to – her body was giving him all the answer he could ever need. With another maddeningly smug chuckle, Eric tested the boundaries by deepening the sensual caress, reveling in the way her body trembled for him as his fingers slipped beneath the lacy fabric, immediately encountering the undeniable evidence of her arousal. She was warm and slick, and Eric gave a groan of his own, feeling his own arousal swell almost to bursting. She might accuse him of teasing her, but what he did to her was nothing compared to what she did to him – her body squirming under his ministrations, little moans and whimpers of pleasure falling from her lips. It was unbearable, how he wanted her.

Head against his shoulder, Calleigh closed her eyes, simply content to let the sensations wash over her. But suddenly they were gone – the sensations, his fingers, everything, and before Calleigh could even question or protest, Eric's strong arms were looping around her middle. Through some careful maneuvering on the couch, she found herself lying on her back, her head on one of the throw pillows, her eyes gazing puzzledly – and arousedly – up into Eric's dark ones. He grinned devilishly, and before even one word could come to Calleigh's tongue, he was kissing his way down her body, paying immense attention to the spots that left her moaning, whimpering, squirming against him.

His fingers hooked slowly in the sides of her panties as he laved kisses to her stomach, and it was with a revering touch that he slowly removed that final article of clothing, leaving her beautifully naked before him. His eyes took her in hungrily, leaving Calleigh trembling and blushing under his approving gaze. "So beautiful," he murmured yet again, touching his lips to the inside of her knee. Innocent yet intimate, the gesture left Calleigh's heart thumping wildly against her ribcage, unable to do much but watch as his lips slowly traced a sensual path upward along her inner thigh.

He nipped playfully, and Calleigh's head fell back against the pillow, a low moan escaping her lips. "Eric…" Clearly, teasing Eric was back, just in time to drive Calleigh utterly out of her mind with frustration. It took all of her strength, but once more she lifted her head, her hands reaching limply for Eric's shoulders. The teasing nips to her thighs, the slow circles he traced along her hips with his fingers…it was just too much, and she needed more.

Lifting his eyes to her, Eric shivered at the look of lust in Calleigh's emerald eyes, but let it deter him, he did not. With a devilish grin, he lowered his head, pressing a soft kiss directly to her center, his ears catching Calleigh's soft intake of air. She shook her head, attempting to tug at his shoulders. "I need you," she murmured, the breathy words almost lost to the night. But Eric easily shook off her touch, leaving her whimpering softly.

The look of sheer desire in his eyes sent chills along the length of Calleigh's spine. He turned his head, slowly peppering kisses along her inner thigh again, relishing in the way she trembled beneath his lips. "I need _you_," he breathed, and with that, Calleigh knew all resistance was hopeless. He was going to get what he wanted, leaving her powerless to forbid him.

Not that she actually would, but Calleigh couldn't deny the almost _unbearable_ ache between her thighs, the unrelenting need to feel him inside her. Just the thought made her thighs clench with need, but clearly Eric had other plans. "Just relax for me," he murmured, the grin on his lips telling her he knew just how impossible his request was, especially when his thumb sought out the swollen bud of her clit and traced maddeningly slow circles around it. Calleigh sucked in a breath, her back arching against the electricity that such a simple touch shot through her body.

And he just kept at it, too. The slow, teasing motions designed to coax her to the peak, but forbid her from falling. Her hips rocked against him, her mind paying no heed to the cries of desperation that escaped her lips. She didn't care; he was driving her up the wall and refusing to give her what she really needed. And what she really needed was – _oh! _All trace of thought seemed to trickle from her mind and her fingers clutched roughly at the cushions as suddenly Eric replaced his thumb with his mouth, suckling lightly at the bundle of nerves as his fingers slowly probed at her entrance. First one, then two inside of her, and Calleigh had to bite hard at her lip to keep from crying out for more. Her body squirmed on the couch as his fingers moved slowly, deeply within her, all the while keeping the same slow pace of his mouth on her.

She felt the bliss coiling up deep within her, felt the tide threaten to overtake her at any moment. Her heated body trembled with every slow thrust of his fingers, her hips rocking lightly as he suckled at her, moaning against her as though he couldn't get enough of her. And he was murmuring now; soft commands, sweet nothings, quiet requests, and each one of them in his low, sexy voice served to push Calleigh closer and closer to the edge.

And then he shifted his wrist, curling his fingers within her to hit that one spot he knew would send her crashing headlong into bliss. One thrust, two, one more swirl of his tongue, and that was it. Eyes squeezed shut, Calleigh whimpered, biting hard at her lip as her body gave in to the tremors of her climax. She came quietly, so characteristic of tightly-controlled Calleigh. Her body trembled as Eric coaxed her back down with soft kisses, gentle caresses before tracing a path of those kisses and caresses back up her beautifully flushed body.

Ducking his head, Eric nuzzled lightly at her throat, the soft whimpers and sighs escaping her music to his ears. "You okay?" he whispered, dotting kisses along her jaw. She was still breathing hard and found it impossible to reply; impossible to feel even the slightest bit of shame at the dazed whimper of affirmation that fell from her lips. Eric chuckled, finally making his way to her lips and claiming them in a slow, sweet kiss that belied the urgency of his own arousal. Having since shrugged out of his boxers, he could feel her wet heat right against his hard length, and he couldn't help but rock his hips slowly against hers. "One day," he breathed, breaking the kiss for much needed oxygen, "one day I'll get you to scream for me."

Calleigh flushed deeply, an embarrassed giggle escaping her lips."Mm, dream on, babe," she teased, her eyes sparkling as her hands skated between their heated bodies, seeking out his hard length with her fingers. Without breaking the connection between their eyes, Calleigh wrapped her fingers slowly around him, stroking skillfully.

Eric cursed under his breath, burying his face in the crook of her neck. _"Calleigh."_

"Hmm?" Calleigh hummed softly, smiling as his hips began to rock with the motion of her hands.

The softness of her hands took his breath away, leaving him feeling just a bit repentant – _just_ a bit, though – over the drawn-out sensual torment he'd just put her through. She was a tease herself and knew it too, that much was apparent by the devilish sparkle in her eyes. Eric groaned softly, latching his mouth to the junction of her throat and her shoulder, suckling at her creamy skin. Calleigh gave a soft mewl of delight, and that was almost Eric's undoing.

Her hands felt _so_ good, just the right amount of pressure, stroking at just the right speed. But it was too much – too much sensation, too much pleasure, and Eric found himself unable to breathe as she squeezed lightly, causing his entire body to jerk. His hips rocked almost urgently against her touch, and somewhere within the aroused haze of his mind, Eric knew he needed to stop her. He was already _so_ close; had been just from the sight of her climax. With a shaky hand, he reached between them and easily caught both of hers, gently tugging her hands away from him. Calleigh whimpered in protest, but Eric merely shook his head. "Stop," he breathed, his eyes darkened with need. "Please…"

Calleigh smirked slightly, lifting her head to nip at his lower lip. "Why?" she asked in a seductive whisper, but if she thought she'd gained the upper hand, she was sorely mistaken.

Lowering his head, Eric latched his mouth to the spot beneath her ear, immediately eliciting a moan from the blonde beneath him. "Because I _need_ to be inside you," he breathed hotly against her skin. The words were soaked with desire, desire for _her_, and Calleigh felt her body consumed by a neverending shiver as he continued, nearly sending her into another shuddering climax just from his words. "I _need_ to make love to you…"

She could utter little more than his name in response as she felt the length of him against her center. Closing her eyes for a moment, Calleigh attempted to catch her breath as Eric pressed a reverent kiss to the corner of her lips. Before he could pull away, Calleigh brought a hand to the back of his neck, drawing him into a full, deep kiss, trying somehow to convey in the single action the depth of all she felt for him.

Time seemed to halt in place as Eric broke away from her lips, holding her gaze unwaveringly as he finally pushed inside of her, the feeling just as exquisite as it had been the first time. Maybe even more exquisite – every time just seemed to get better and better. "Calleigh…" he whispered, his body shuddering as her wet heat surrounded him. "God…"

Calleigh could only whimper in response, feeling him settle deep within her. His body trembled above her, and Calleigh couldn't resist drawing a fingertip along his muscular arms, feeling them shudder beneath her touch. She continued her journey, tracing down over the hard planes of his chest before wrapping around him, drawing her nails lightly over his back. Eric sucked in a deep breath, growling out her name in a way that left Calleigh shuddering hard beneath him, lifting her head to seek out his lips with hers. She kissed him hungrily, experimentally moving her hips against his, beginning a slow rhythm that was utterly exquisite.

_"God,_" he rasped breathlessly against her lips. Calleigh gave a low moan of agreement, her nails scraping over his back. Her teeth nibbled at her lip in that seductive way that always drove Eric wild, and he couldn't help but break the slow rocking motion of their hips in favor of thrusting deeply, eliciting a cry from the beautiful blonde beneath him. He was so close already; there was no way he could hold out for long, not with the feel of her surrounding him, all around him. "You feel _so_ good," he breathed, burying his face against her neck. "_So_ good…"

Breathing in deeply, he reveled for a moment in her sweet scent, the feel of her hands and fingers flitting over his back, the sound of her pitchy breathing, her delighted moans and whimpers as he moved within her. He alternated slow, deep thrusts with quick and shallow strokes, guided on by her hissed words of encouragement, pleas of desperation that he couldn't help but give in to.

It still hit him like a brick wall every single time, this realm of emotion he'd never quite felt before. The feeling of being so intimately connected with her; the very first time he'd felt it, he'd swear it was the first time in his life that he'd ever felt honestly complete, as if she were the missing part of his life for all those years, his soulmate. It was overwhelming, an emotion he wasn't sure he could live without now. He _knew_ he couldn't live without _her_ now, that was for sure.

Turning his head, he nuzzled softly against her, dotting kisses along her flushed skin, any patch of skin his lips could reach. "You're so beautiful," he whispered in lieu of the words he wanted to say, but wasn't sure she was ready yet to hear – it was still too early, despite the fact that he knew them to be true. "So beautiful…"

Calleigh whimpered, rocking her hips against his in a quiet plea for more. Eric couldn't help but oblige, and Calleigh cried out his name as he thrust _hard_, leaving both of their bodies shivering. "Eric – _oh!" _He did it again, simultaneously catching her earlobe gently between his teeth, his warm breath tickling her skin. "God, Eric, _yes_…" she whimpered, sensing her second climax slip just into her sights as Eric quickened the pace, thrusting faster, harder within her. Her body shuddered, every inch of her skin covered with goosebumps as their bodies slid together so perfectly.

Her wet heat, her softness, it was so overwhelming. Eric couldn't breathe. He was dizzy with arousal, dizzy with need for her, only her. Eric's softly whispered declarations of her beauty shifted from quiet English to low, guttural Russian, and Calleigh moaned loudly. She didn't know what he was saying, but she knew she'd never heard anything sexier. Every deep thrust was punctuated by words of Russian, pushing her closer and closer to that inevitable precipice.

Eric's thrusts grew more and more erratic and uncontrollable; first seeking release with quick pumps that left Calleigh writhing beneath him, then wanting to draw the moment out with slow, deep thrusts that had her moaning his name, her accent thickened noticeably. She spurred him on with her breathless pleas, with the feel of her lips like feathers along his jaw, over his throat; kissing, suckling, lightly nipping. Her hips rocked in time with his no matter what the rhythm; her hands at his hips guided him, nails occasionally biting into his skin and eliciting low growls of desire from him.

Knowing he was almost there, _so_ close, Eric nipped teasingly at her lip, moaning with her as he snaked a hand along her abdomen, closing in on the place where they moved together so intimately. Thrusts never ceasing, he brushed his thumb over her swollen clit. "Let go for me," he whispered, tucking his thumb against the bundle of nerves, adding pressure as her body jerked beneath him. His eyes on hers, he repeated the phrase once more, this time in Russian.

One more deep, _hard_ thrust. One more circle of his thumb against her clit. Just one more, combined with his low, rough-syllabled command was enough for Calleigh. Her body stiffened beneath his before completely dissolving into the tremors of an all-encompassing climax as she came hard, eyes squeezed shut, Eric's name tumbling from her lips in cries of utter ecstasy.

Her muscles spasmed so tightly around him, completely stealing what little breath remained in him, and with one more deep thrust, he too was gone. Burying his face in the crook of her neck, he surrendered finally to his own climax, tumbling over the edge into bliss, a deep groan of Calleigh's name on his lips. _"Calleigh…"_

Calleigh's entire body tingled as she came down from such a powerful climax, leaving her dazed and sated as the telltale feeling of afterglow began to settle in. She had little to no control over the satisfied coos that drifted from her lips as she slowly caught her breath, feeling Eric continue to nuzzle at her throat. "Eric…God," she murmured deliriously, lazily stroking at the back of his neck.

Eric hummed softly, laving one last reverent kiss to her pulse point as the spasms faded away. "Now, I _know_ I would've remembered this had it happened here before," he murmured playfully, drawing a quiet laugh from Calleigh's lips. Lifting his head, Eric found his eyes treated to her flushed face, her emerald eyes sparkling with afterglow and a delirious grin tugging at her lips. Softly he stroked her cheek, lowering his lips to hers for a slow, languid kiss. Calleigh moaned softly, shifting against him enough to send a jolt of electricity through him where they remained connected, and Eric couldn't help but shudder lightly.

It was almost too much, and slowly he shifted out of her, his ears catching the tiny whimper of displeasure she gave against his mouth. Pressing one last kiss to the corner of her lips, Eric moved off of her as best he could in such a small area, coming to rest on his side next to her. He couldn't help but watch in quiet awe as she fought to catch her breath, her body shimmering with a light sheen of sweat. "You're amazing," he murmured, brushing his lips along her temple.

Calleigh chuckled softly. "Me? But you – it's – _you_…" Shaking her head, she gave up trying to find the words to articulate her reply.

Predictably, Eric grinned smugly. "Speechless. I like that," he commented playfully, still dusting kisses along her cooling skin.

All Calleigh could do was sigh softly, her hand slowly seeking his, finding it and lacing her fingers with his. "Can I – can I ask you something?" she murmured once she'd managed to find her voice. Eric replied only with another kiss and an unmistakable nod of his head, and Calleigh swallowed hard before continuing. "What – what were you saying to me when…you know…" she asked quietly, lifting her left hand to his stubbled cheek. He tensed slightly, and Calleigh knew he probably realized what she meant, but still she clarified as she slowly drew her ring finger over his cheek. "The Russian, I mean…"

Eric ducked his eyes briefly, almost shyly, and Calleigh felt her heart melt as he gave her a sheepish smile. He shrugged, tilting his head thoughtfully. "Does it matter?"

Calleigh smiled softly, catching her lip between her teeth before giving her quiet reply. "Yeah, it does." She shrugged, giving him that sheepish grin that always left his heart turning flips in his chest. "I wanna know."

Her eyelids fluttered as Eric gently caressed her cheek, the pad of his thumb stroking soft circles over her still lightly flushed skin. Tilting her head slowly toward him, he caught her soft lips in a lazy kiss, conveying by action the words he'd whispered to her moments before. Were they a little farther into their relationship, he would've answered her, no problem. But it was still early; if he said them now and Calleigh backed away, he'd never be able to live with himself.

Instead he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, his lips lingering as he gave her the answer he _could_ give. "You know, baby. You _know."_

His words left her heart pounding wildly again, just as it finally had seemed to return to a normal beat. It hit her abruptly, the knowledge of what he truly _was_ saying to her, and Calleigh couldn't help but find herself dizzied by it, her world suddenly in a tailspin that left the butterflies in her stomach agitated, flittering around with no place to alight.

It scared her, left her feeling abundantly vulnerable, but more than anything, the realization left her unable to deny the deepest of emotions that she too felt for him. He completed her, even if she wasn't ready to say or even hear the words out loud yet.

And it touched her to the very deepest parts of her heart that Eric realized that, respected that.

The intensity of his gaze upon her was almost too much, though – his eyes had never hidden the depth of his feelings for her. Shifting against him, Calleigh glanced down to their connected hands, her lips curving upward at the perfection of the fit. "Eric, I…" she began, only to find herself shushed by Eric's gentle lips against hers.

"You don't have to say anything," he whispered, to which Calleigh nodded slowly. "Not right now. Just…just know."

Meeting his eyes, Calleigh nodded again. Her lips parted, but instead of words, she found herself unable to stifle a yawn, which to her relief seemed to dissipate some of the heavy emotional tension – not _negative _tension, just tension – that had fallen around them. Eric gave an amused chuckle, reaching out to brush a lock of blonde back from her face. "I think it's bedtime," he observed teasingly.

Calleigh giggled softly, snuggling against him. "I would agree," she mumbled in reply, smiling shyly, "but I don't think I can move…" Her muscles remained jelly-like as she stretched slightly; the last thing she wanted to do was move from where she was now.

Eric chuckled, dropping a kiss to her shoulder before shifting against her, reaching to retrieve the blanket from the back of the couch. "Well, luckily, _this_ couch happens to be pretty damn comfy," he commented, spreading the blanket out over top of them before once more gathering Calleigh in his arms. "Because I sure don't feel like moving from this spot right now either."

Calleigh giggled again. "Not even to get the remote from the floor? It's almost time for your SportsCenter…"

"Not even for that," Eric replied, nuzzling into Calleigh's hair. "Especially since I made you miss the end of your show…"

"I'm not complaining," Calleigh drawled sweetly, a wide grin tugging at her lips. "Not one bit."

Eric gave a smug smirk, to which Calleigh couldn't help but playfully roll her eyes. "That good, huh?" he teased, and if Calleigh had been a little more lucid, she would've given him a playful shove to the shoulder.

"Let's just say I'd happily take you over a silly reality show any day," she replied sleepily, and though the words were simple, the meaning behind them was anything but. Her inflection gave her words a deeper meaning, one that was not missed in the comfortable silence that fell around them.

There was no point in watching petty, shallow women compete against each other for a chance to fall in love in front of millions of viewers. Despite the moniker, there was no way that was anything even resembling reality.

Reality was falling in love without an audience, without sharing someone with a number of others wanting the exact same thing, without the promise of a million dollars to sweeten the deal. Reality TV romances were merely a diversion designed for the viewer, not the actual couple on the show.

As she lay cuddled deep within Eric's embrace, Calleigh smiled, knowing she'd finally found a much better diversion.

And her diversion _was_ reality.


End file.
